Political Participation in the UK Essay

In a country based on representative democracy, a ‘fair’ system, it is questionable to say we as the public make the most of this opportunity. Whilst other nations are fighting against the intense grips of dictatorships, as we have seen recently in Libya and Egypt, we live in a system in which to instigate change, we simply have to turn up at a ballot box and cast a vote. But with voting numbers continuously dwindling, does the United Kingdom have a participation crisis? The most efficient way to judge this is to go straight to the figures, and on first glance the statistics are startling. The percentage of people that voted in 2001 was an astonishing record low of 59%, down over 10% from the previous election in 1997. Comparing both of these results to a 83.9 voting percentage of 1950, shows a dramatic change in the value the British people place in their vote. The two recent elections however in 2005 and 2010 have bucked this trend, achieving percentages of 61.5 and 65 giving the impression that voting is on the rise. But with only these two results showing increases in recent history, it is impossible to view this as a positive correlation. When looking at these figures we have to look at the groups of people who didn’t exercise their right to vote, with the majority of them falling in to the 18 to 24 year old category. Only 44% of the 18 to 24 age group casted a ballot in the 2010 election in comparison to the 76% turnout figure of the over 65’s. The general consensus of the political spectrum of the youth population is that it is firmly to the left. Given these facts it is arguable to say that if the turn out for the 2010 general election had been higher, we could have easily had a Labour or Liberal Democrat government which would have had major effects on the current policies in place in the UK. To go even further, if the voting percentage had been 100% in all the previous elections, it is claimable that every government the UK has had would be different, effectively changing nea rly every policy that has been put into place in the past. When looked at with this perspective, we can see the incredible importance of voting and political participation has in our lives. When looking simply at the turnout figures of the recent general elections we can see that participation in the UK is in a dangerous decline. Another factor we need to take into consideration is the decline of party membership in the UK. Similar to the steady decline of voting figures since 1950, all three major parties membership has dropped significantly over the last six decades. The Conservative party has seen the most severe decline in membership, from having over 2,900,000 members in 1951 falling to a mere 250,000 in 2008. This trend is shown within the ranks of the Labour and the Liberal Democrat parties as well, with the only noticeable exception is the rise in the Labour party in 1997, rising from 280,000 to 405,000. This however, can be contributed to the rise of Tony Blair with ‘New Labour’ and ‘Blairism’ which gripped the country in the late 20th century. Following this though, the Labour parties membership continued to fall and by 2008 had reached a low of 166,000. Tony Blair’s biographer Anthony Seldon has made the link between declining levels of public trust in formal politics and the decline in party membership, however it is difficult to prove a simple link such as this exists. With these dramatic declines in voting participation and party membership, some would claim that it is difficult to argue that there is not a political participation crisis gripped the UK. On the other hand though, there has been rises in other forms of political participation. Whilst collective acts such as party membership has been on decline, individual direct action, in some cases has been on the rise. With consumer issues being one of the main causes the public has more intensely rallied around. The Power inquiriy in 2006 highlighted these changes in political participation, with traditional forms such as party membership seeing dramtatic decreases, whereas involvement with pressure groups and protest movements seeing dramatic increases. In the year 2000, 31% of the public claimed that they had boycotted products for ethical reasons, whether this can be contributed to the rise of the media and social desirability or not it shows a dramatic rise from the 4% that boycotted products in 1984. This shows perhaps that although a part of society has lost faith in the political process and the value of their votes, they instead prefer to take actions they believe that they will be directly making a difference and contributing politically. The phenomenon of the rise of the media and the internet over the last 60 years has allowed new systems of political participation to develop. An example of this is e-petitions. E-petitions are an easy way for anyone to influence government policy in the UK. With anyone being able to create an e-petition about anything that the government is responsible for, it allows people to get involved at a more direct level and definitely attracts the younger generation to get involved. If a petition gets at least 100,000 signatures, it will be eligible for debate in the House of Commons. These ways of participation makes it easier for people to get involved and allows the public to voice their opinions on particular subjects, almost seeming like a direct democracy in comparison to the representative democracy we have in the UK. Another argument that there is not a participation crisis in the UK is the huge turnouts in political protests over the last decade, with possibly the most poignant of these being the protests against the Iraq war in 2003. With over one and half million people taking to the streets of London, the British public showed they are not afraid to have their voices heard. A more recent example of a political protest, is the student tuition fees demonstrations in 2010, with over 50,000 taking to the streets. A British Election Study stated that in 1979, 20% of respondents would be willing to go on a protest demonstration, this number had risen to 33 % by 2000. Added to this, an increase in illegal political demonstrations, notably the London riots earlier this year, shows us that people are much more likely to take to the streets to demonstrate than they were in previous decades. This shows that although different forms of political participation are on the rise, they are arguably much less important than voting. Taking into consideration that the government merely acknowledged these particular protests and continued with their policies anyway, shows us the lack of impact these forms of participation have in contrast with voting. In the UK today we can see a growing trend of a decrease in traditional participation, but an increase in new forms and less traditional participation. This can be contributed to a number of factors, including the decline in public trust in formal politics and the rise of the media and internet, which allows people to organise and take part in other types of participation. This shows that generally there is not a participation crisis in the UK, with the majority of the public getting involved in some sort of political participation, with only 15% taking no political actions in the year 2000. However, the forms of participation that are growing in popularity are shown to have less effect on the political process of the UK, with the Iraq demonstrations of 2003 and the Student Protests of 2010 resulting in no change of political policy and the e-petitions only resulting in a political debate. This highlights the importance of traditional participation and the problems with the more popular forms of participation. Perhaps a more poignant question would be, does our representative democracy really represent the views of the public, as in reality these new forms of participation should have resulted in more of an effect on UK policy. To describe the current political participation as a crisis is far to extreme, as the figures show the majority of the British public readily get involved. At the present time there is not a crisis in the UK’s political participation, but if the trends continue, we could be faced with one in the coming years, but as long as the public remain involved at some level there can be no crisis.

Dualism versus Materialism Essay

This Paper shall tackle the long-term debate between dualism and materialism. It shall first present and define the concept of dualism. Then, it shall present the argument or arguments of the dualists, which shall be rebutted by the argument or argument of the materialists. After these, the concept of materialism shall be defined. Then, arguments for materialism shall be presented, which shall be rebutted by the argument or arguments of the dualists. Finally, the writer shall discuss his viewpoint on the matter — whether he believes in dualism; whether he believes in materialism; whether he believes in both; and why if any. Dualism as the term implies is a belief that there are two different substances or types of being (http://skepdic. com/dualism. html). These two are distinct and independent from one another as one is material and the other is spiritual (http://skepdic. com/dualism. html). The former is the one that is defined as the physical or the empirical world (http://skepdic. com/dualism. html). This is what we can identify through our senses — sight, smell, touch, taste and hearing (http://skepdic. com/dualism. html). In addition, this type of substance can be identified through instruments that extend our senses, such as radar, telescopes, etc. (http://skepdic. com/dualism. html). In short, external proof can easily be gathered as to the existence and essence of this type of substance. On the other hand, the latter type of substance is described as the negative of the other, i. e. non-physical, non-material and non-empirical (http://skepdic. com/dualism. html). This is also known as the psychological, mental or spiritual world (http://skepdic. com/dualism. html). The dualist believes in the existence and the interaction of both types of substances. A manifestation of this is the belief in the immortality. The dualists believe that as the spiritual world, as you may call it is separate from the material world, when the latter withers away, the former remains. Rene Descartes is a known dualist. He is also known as the Father of Modern Philosophy. He lived in a time of doubt and disappointment, which is why he devised the method known as the Universal Methodic Doubt. Through this method he doubted everything until he attained something that he could no longer doubt (Descartes, Meditations Discourse on Method and Meditations on First Philosophy). From this process, he realized that â€Å"[i] think therefore I am† (Descartes, Meditations Discourse on Method and Meditations on First Philosophy). For him this is the only thing that cannot be doubted is that he doubts (Descartes, Meditations Discourse on Method and Meditations on First Philosophy). Through his process, he realized that clear and distinct ideas are the first truths (Descartes, Meditations Discourse on Method and Meditations on First Philosophy). Examples of these ideas are the truths of mathematics. More importantly, through this method, he also realized the dichotomy between the spiritual and material world in that he can doubt the existence of his body but he cannot doubt that he exists as a being (Descartes, Meditations Discourse on Method and Meditations on First Philosophy). The dichotomy is further bolstered through the fact that his body is subjected to different rules or laws as compared to his mind (Descartes, Meditations Discourse on Method and Meditations on First Philosophy). His body is governed and follows the laws of physical science but his mind does not (Descartes, Meditations Discourse on Method and Meditations on First Philosophy). He posited the relation of the material substance to the spiritual substance in this wise: [e]xternal motions affect the peripheral ends of the nerve fibrils, which in turn displace the central ends. As the central ends are displaced, the pattern of interfibrillar space is rearranged and the flow of animal spirits is thereby directed into the appropriate nerves. It was Descartes’ articulation of this mechanism for automatic, differentiated reaction that led to his generally being credited with the founding of reflex theory (Wozniak, citing Descartes, Meditations Discourse on Method and Meditations on First Philosophy). Husserl and Merleu-Ponty as they define the â€Å"body† in a different wise, criticizes the Descartes depiction of the body. The latter criticizes Descartes in that human beings do not relate to the body the way it relates to other external objects, such as a table or chair (Merleu-Ponty). Proof of this is the fact that a human being does not move or affect an external object the way he/she moves or affects his/her own body (Merleu-Ponty). Husserl points out that doubting the body already assumes that the body is a mere physical thing (Husserl). Such assumption does not come from philosophical thinking but from the scientific thinking that was prevalent during Descartes’ time (Husserl). Ryle points out: †¦one person has no direct access of any sort to the events of the inner life of another. He cannot do better than make problematic inferences from the observed behaviour of the other persons body to the states of mind which, by analogy from his own conduct, he supposes to be signalled by that behaviour†¦ (p. 16). †¦mental happenings occur in insulated fields known as â€Å"minds†, and there is, apart maybe from telepathy, no direct causal connection between what happens in one mind and what happens in another†¦ The mind is its own place and in his inner life each of us lives the life of a ghostly Robinson Crusoe. People can see, hear and jolt one another’s bodies, but they are irremediably blind and deaf to the workings of one another’s minds and inoperative upon them. (p. 15) On the other hand, materialism is the belief or school of thought that all beings are composed of matter, material force or physical processes (Stack). All events and facts are explainable, actually or in principle, in terms of body, material objects or dynamic material changes or movements. In general, the metaphysical theory of materialism entails the denial of the reality of spiritual beings, consciousness and mental or psychic states or processes, as ontologically distinct from, or independent of material changes or processes. Since it denies the existence of spiritual beings or forces, materialism typically is allied with atheism or agnosticism (Stack). One of the formulations of the materialism is the belief that one rule is reducible to another rule (Stack). This is reflected likewise with the fact that one matter is reducible to another (Stack). For instance, H2O is reducible to hydrogen and water. A chinese sharpie is reducible to animal, dog and crumpled (Stack). In other words, matter as it exists is composed of other formulations of matter. This preservation of causal/explanatory role is reflected in at least one of two ways: (a) the laws in the reduced and reducing theories are similar (this concerns whether they isolate the same covariations in the world) and (b) theoretical-predicate pairs across the reduced and reducing theories isolate, or pick out, the same objects (Churchland; Hooker, cited in http://philosophy.uwaterloo. ca/MindDict/materialism. html). The problem with materialism is that it shuts the possibility of the non-spatial’s existence. There is no attempt, based on the sub-classification of materialism, to reconcile the notion to its principles. Materialism is more persuasive simply because there is empirical data to support the principles that it furthers. There is support with the belief that there are smaller components of matter that form part of other matter. This has already been proven by science. On the other hand, the causal connection between a consciousness and the body, which dualism furthers, while I feel exists is not addressed by materialism. However, the findings and the logic that was used in dualism seem to lack persuasion in it. References Boyd, R. (1980) â€Å"Materialism Without Reductionism: What Physicalism does not Entail,† in N. Block (ed. ), Readings in Philosophy and Psychology, Volume I (pp. 67-106). Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. Broughton, J. (2002), Descartes’s Method of Doubt, Princeton. Caroll, R. , Dualism, http://skepdic. com/dualism. html, . Carruthers, P. (1986) Introducing Persons, London, Routledge. Churchland, P. M. (1989) A Neurocomputational Perspective: The Nature of Mind and the Structure of Science. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press. Crossley, N. (1995) Merleau-Ponty, the Elusive Body and Carnal Sociology, Body and Society 1(1) 43-66. Crossley, N. (1995) Body Techniques, Agency and Intercorporeality, Sociology 29(1), 133-50. Crossley, N. (2001) The Social Body: Habit, Identity and Desire, London, Sage. Curley, E. M. (1999), Descartes Against the Skeptics, Iuniverse. Descartes, R. (1999), Discourse on Method and Meditations on First Philosophy, tr. by Donald A. Cress, Hackett. Descartes, R. (1969) Discourse on Method & The Meditations, Harmondsworth, Penguin. Hooker, C. A. (1981) â€Å"Towards a General Theory of Reduction,† Dialogue 20, 38-59, 201-36, 496-529. Husserl, E. (1972) Experience and Judgement, Evanston, Northwestern University Press. Merleau-Ponty, M. (1962) The Phenomenology of Perception, London, RKP. Putnam, H. (1988) Representation and Reality. Cambridge, Mass. : The MIT Press. Ryle, G. (1949) The Concept of Mind, Harmondsworth, Penguin. Stack, G. (1998) Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy, ed. Edward Craig, New York, Routledge. The Cambridge Companion to Descartes, ed. by John Cottingham (Cambridge, 1992). Wozniak, Robert H. (1992) â€Å"Mind and Body: Rene Descartes to William James,† Washington, National Library of Medicine and the American Psychological Association. .

Argument of Love Essay

But how can we learn about something or someone without any experience? It takes being around someone on a regular basis to know and see how he/she handles different situations. This helps you know if this is someone who compliments you. So, why not give yourself time to experience the questions and answers you would ask if you would have met later in life. When people meet at an older age, they do not know anything about their partner’s character. Both people in the relationship are experienced and ready to settle down, usually before having time to figure out each other. On the other hand, when a couple starts out young you can catch the flaws as they grow. You can get used to the changes, leave them, or work it out. You are able to be together and become friends before lovers. You will know where the person came from, where they seem to be going, and what has already been accomplished. This is better than meeting a random person and trying to learn them quickly, â€Å"because life is too short. † Our parents are often loving, however, they have the meanest way of expressing it. They seem to always try to save you from the heartache and trouble they know you will encounter because â€Å"they have been there done that. They have lived and experienced life so they know more than we could imagine. This only made them stronger because â€Å"you learn from your mistakes right? † So why is it so bad for us to experience and learn from our own mistakes? They expect us teenagers to watch how their relationships went, and do what they did or the opposite. They would even tell you to look at your friend and how she/he started young and has a child. But everyone does not end up with the same outcome. I am not saying the first person you find at sixteen will be your lifetime partner. However, just because you are in love at sixteen does not mean the relationship will not last or the love is not true. Let us say you meet a person in the eighth grade and you have a crush on that person from the start. Whether it is their style, charm, or the fact he/she can answer many questions the teacher asks that attracted you to this person, you may also notice their flaws or disagree with them on many occasions. By being around your crush day by day, some days you may like them a lot, and some days you will not care for him/her at all. This is the beginning of what I feel is true love. When you see a person’s true character but still look past their imperfections just to be with them shows how much you care for that person. The older generation may call this naive or say we do not know any better. Now you are in high school and in a relationship with your crush. You begin to go on dates to the movies, skating, or just sitting on your sofa at home, it is not anything major but it is still spending time. When things start going great, one or maybe both of you start cheating. This is when your feelings are put to the test. You may break up, make up, and/or do it all over again. This process is the beginning to the perfect ending. Adults may call us teenagers stupid, but what we call cheating is talking on the phone, texting, or smiling at the opposite sex. Adults tend to think that sexual encounters with other people are the only type of cheating. When we find ways to work out our insecurities with our partner shows the dedication and potential our relationship has. No matter how people look at other people relationship problems we will all have to deal with the same things. Whether it is learning how to cope with a flirt in high school or trying to save a marriage with a cheater later on in life. Starting off young give you more time to figure your problems out so when it is time to get married you have truly been through it all with your lifetime partner. Once people reach about thirty-five they have had a few relationships that ended up bad, so they become close minded to people’s personalities. However, they still feel the need to settle down. They expect someone to be a certain way and if they are not what they think they should be then etting to know that person is over. Now a year has passed, they have met someone, dated, had sex, and met each other’s family. While overlooking the city sipping wine and smoking cigarettes, you have finally talked about the past, present, and future. â€Å"Oh NOW you are in love? † You were fed dreams in the sunset while washing it down with Alize so it just has to be true. Six years after being married, you are divorced with a five year old and high blood pressure. Your done with men/women but you still want love deep down inside. The one you fell in love with that night as the sun went down turned out to get overly angry when he would mix his Alize with Patron behind your back. Or it could be the other way around; she was a freak in the bed but also with Ned, Fred, and your best friend Simon. In reality, it is better to try and find your true love while you are still young. The first person that breaks your heart may or may not be the person you should spend the rest of your life with. But when you are young it is much easier to start all over again rather than waiting until â€Å"the time is right. Maybe that time would be twenty or thirty years from your first heartbreak. Then it will be like you are forced to settle for the first person that comes back into your life. On top of meeting someone new during middle age, you would have to catch up and learn more and more about a person which you should have experienced together. When you grow with a person you are able to see the whole process. You are there t o encourage him/her to do right. You can help the person grow while they are doing the same for you. If you both stick around through the toughest times then that is real love. If you leave and they do the most to get you back it is love. Being shown that they will not let you go no matter what should be enough to show you how genuine ones love is for you. You do not have the time to experience and find these things out when you are thirty-five because the time is limited. If you are able to figure those things out as an adult then you are truly blessed. Parents should be more open minded towards their children teenage love because one day they could be introducing him/her as their son-in-law or daughter-in-law. Argument of Love Essay But how can we learn about something or someone without any experience? It takes being around someone on a regular basis to know and see how he/she handles different situations. This helps you know if this is someone who compliments you. So, why not give yourself time to experience the questions and answers you would ask if you would have met later in life. When people meet at an older age, they do not know anything about their partner’s character. Both people in the relationship are experienced and ready to settle down, usually before having time to figure out each other. On the other hand, when a couple starts out young you can catch the flaws as they grow. You can get used to the changes, leave them, or work it out. You are able to be together and become friends before lovers. You will know where the person came from, where they seem to be going, and what has already been accomplished. This is better than meeting a random person and trying to learn them quickly, â€Å"because life is too short. † Our parents are often loving, however, they have the meanest way of expressing it. They seem to always try to save you from the heartache and trouble they know you will encounter because â€Å"they have been there done that. They have lived and experienced life so they know more than we could imagine. This only made them stronger because â€Å"you learn from your mistakes right? † So why is it so bad for us to experience and learn from our own mistakes? They expect us teenagers to watch how their relationships went, and do what they did or the opposite. They would even tell you to look at your friend and how she/he started young and has a child. But everyone does not end up with the same outcome. I am not saying the first person you find at sixteen will be your lifetime partner. However, just because you are in love at sixteen does not mean the relationship will not last or the love is not true. Let us say you meet a person in the eighth grade and you have a crush on that person from the start. Whether it is their style, charm, or the fact he/she can answer many questions the teacher asks that attracted you to this person, you may also notice their flaws or disagree with them on many occasions. By being around your crush day by day, some days you may like them a lot, and some days you will not care for him/her at all. This is the beginning of what I feel is true love. When you see a person’s true character but still look past their imperfections just to be with them shows how much you care for that person. The older generation may call this naive or say we do not know any better. Now you are in high school and in a relationship with your crush. You begin to go on dates to the movies, skating, or just sitting on your sofa at home, it is not anything major but it is still spending time. When things start going great, one or maybe both of you start cheating. This is when your feelings are put to the test. You may break up, make up, and/or do it all over again. This process is the beginning to the perfect ending. Adults may call us teenagers stupid, but what we call cheating is talking on the phone, texting, or smiling at the opposite sex. Adults tend to think that sexual encounters with other people are the only type of cheating. When we find ways to work out our insecurities with our partner shows the dedication and potential our relationship has. No matter how people look at other people relationship problems we will all have to deal with the same things. Whether it is learning how to cope with a flirt in high school or trying to save a marriage with a cheater later on in life. Starting off young give you more time to figure your problems out so when it is time to get married you have truly been through it all with your lifetime partner. Once people reach about thirty-five they have had a few relationships that ended up bad, so they become close minded to people’s personalities. However, they still feel the need to settle down. They expect someone to be a certain way and if they are not what they think they should be then etting to know that person is over. Now a year has passed, they have met someone, dated, had sex, and met each other’s family. While overlooking the city sipping wine and smoking cigarettes, you have finally talked about the past, present, and future. â€Å"Oh NOW you are in love? † You were fed dreams in the sunset while washing it down with Alize so it just has to be true. Six years after being married, you are divorced with a five year old and high blood pressure. Your done with men/women but you still want love deep down inside. The one you fell in love with that night as the sun went down turned out to get overly angry when he would mix his Alize with Patron behind your back. Or it could be the other way around; she was a freak in the bed but also with Ned, Fred, and your best friend Simon. In reality, it is better to try and find your true love while you are still young. The first person that breaks your heart may or may not be the person you should spend the rest of your life with. But when you are young it is much easier to start all over again rather than waiting until â€Å"the time is right. Maybe that time would be twenty or thirty years from your first heartbreak. Then it will be like you are forced to settle for the first person that comes back into your life. On top of meeting someone new during middle age, you would have to catch up and learn more and more about a person which you should have experienced together. When you grow with a person you are able to see the whole process. You are there t o encourage him/her to do right. You can help the person grow while they are doing the same for you. If you both stick around through the toughest times then that is real love. If you leave and they do the most to get you back it is love. Being shown that they will not let you go no matter what should be enough to show you how genuine ones love is for you. You do not have the time to experience and find these things out when you are thirty-five because the time is limited. If you are able to figure those things out as an adult then you are truly blessed. Parents should be more open minded towards their children teenage love because one day they could be introducing him/her as their son-in-law or daughter-in-law.

Telecommuting, aka Tele-working Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Telecommuting, aka Tele-working - Research Paper Example Telecommuting has significantly altered the traditional offices through the introduction of phones, computers and other telecommunications tools at off-site locations. Golden (2001) stated that the formation of telecommuting has been explored through several terms such as telework, distance work, remote work, flexi work and home based work among others. However, there are no clear definitions that exist regarding the term telecommuting. Several authors have provided varying definitions regarding telecommuting. For instance Olson (1987) denoted telecommuting as an organizational work which is executed outside of the company premises. It is augmented by information technology (IT). Telecommuters are employees who habitually spend about two to four days in a week, performing their tasks at home. Korte & Wynne (1996) recommended that there are three dimensions of telecommuting namely location, implementation of IT and communication network. In the US, telecommuting is referred as telewor king while in Europe telecommuting is denoted as distance working and off-site working. Hamilton (2002) stated telecommuting as a schedule where employees conduct their work at home for a certain percentage of core working time. The place of work can be at home, at a remote office location or some other places which are outside of main office premise. Considering this aspect, it can be stated that telecommuting is an alternative method of work system where employees spend a consistent amount of time at a location other than office, essentially working from home through using computer and telecommunication system. According to Cross (2013), telecommuting means performing work at a location away from workplace and then sending the outcome of the performed work through the electronic medium. The following figure depicts the telecommuting work system: Fig 1: Telecommuting Work System Fig 1: Cross (2013) From the above figure, it can be stated that telecommuting usually supplements diffe rent office based functions. Green, Lopez, Wysocki & Kepner (2003) defined popular terms which cover telecommuting as a remote work, ‘location independent tasks’ and ‘home distributed data processing’ among others. Telecommuting is basically preformed on a terminal which is connected by modem and telephone line to mainframe computer of office. Telecommuting is also performed through personal computer systems where the competed tasks are transmitted over telecommunication media to the organizations’ computer facilities (Green, Lopez, Wysocki & Kepner, 2003). Telecommuting work provisions have a range of procedures depending on the requirements of employees and organizations. For instance, part time telework permits employees to avoid regular travels to the main office, which may or may not be conveniently reachable. Part time telework comprises work of editors or designers who frequently perform as outworkers. On the other hand, full time telework all ows employees to perform as a part of virtual teams who assemble through electronic media from different locations in order to conduct organizational tasks. An example of full time telework comprises medical transcriptionists who perform their tasks at home for an established organization (Green, Lopez, Wysocki & Kepner, 2003). Current telecommuting technologies Successful telecommuting necessitates a number of technologies which permit employees to efficiently communicate with coworkers, supervisors and clienteles. A few of the

Unlocking the postcolonial experience with the keys of history Essay

Unlocking the postcolonial experience with the keys of history - Essay Example In my reading of history I have found that the meaning of history is different for different people.In other words any history,which includes also the postcolonial one,has a subjective meaning for the individual.However,an objective approach to history can unlock the impasse of interpretation of history to the reasonable satisfaction of all people.I have observed that the tone of eulogy that characterized the early writers in the heyday of colonization has given way to less buoyant enthusiasm in the postcolonial literature after the liquidation of the empire. I should think that the Postcolonial writer now expresses his authentic subjective experience, not only of the colonial past, but also his perception of the aftermath of colonization.History is important in Postcolonial studies because it fixes the parameters for inclusion or exclusion the sources that we should study. Experience of a historical colonial past and the literature that reflects this is included as the canonical wor ks for study. However, many argue that the colonial past though politically over is actually present because of the overwhelming influence still exerted by former rulers on their former colonies. Some others argue that colonization is still a reality as some powerful nations still exercise political power from a distance through their conglomerates.1 There is a school of thought that argues that colonial experience is universal in human history because some time in the remote or recent past most countries or peoples had the experience of being subjugated by another powerful people.2 What is Postcolonial I feel that it is necessary to have a clear idea of the term Postcolonial. It became prominent terminology in academic parlance with the publication of Edward Said' vehement critique of western ideas of the Orient in his work Orientalism. His work highlights the inaccuracies of a wide variety of assumptions accepted on individual, academic and political levels. It is a mirror image of what is inferior and alien to the west (Said 1978). According to Said a historian and a scholar should see the diversity of culture and allow room for a dynamic variety of human experience. However, I find that Said was insistent about the essential difference between the orient and the occident. So I feel that in spite of the stereotype that European perception has of the orient there is different subjective perception of one another. In this context it is desirable to read Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe. From this we get a proper insight into the colonial mind.3 With the appearance in 1989 of the work The Empire Writes Back: Theory and Practice in Post-Colonial Literatures, Postcolonial studies became a branch of study by itself and earlier terms like Colonial Literature, Commonwealth Literature and Third World Literature were replaced by Postcolonial. However many do not consider the term suitable. In fact some use term to signify a stand against Imperialism and Euro- centrism often surprisingly ante-Americanism. In this context I wish to compare and contrast the perspective of earlier writers who were conscious or unconscious appendages of the Raj by examining the work, In an Antique Land by Amitav Ghosh.4 Is American Experience Part of Postcolonialism Americas were one of the earliest scenes of European colonial adventure. The American expansion at the cost of the native American population is one of the saddest chapters of world history. Similarly the flourishing slave trade and the vestiges of which remained in our recent memory makes the America all the more a part of essential colonial experience. The white chroniclers of European explorations cinemetically focussed on what they saw through a single lense. However the Postcolonial historians capture the quite mystique of the discovery of the unfolding virgin America with the eyes of the natives Americans also.This

Critical Thinking Application Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Critical Thinking Application - Essay Example I agree that to the choice of the central issue as: Is it right for General Barry Norman to use the mycoherbicides to supposedly help Afghanistan and its people, and to save many American lives by ending the military action sooner? As compared to all the other ethical issues, the issue on determining if General Barry Norman is right to use the mycoherbicides is most critical in the case given that any action that would ensue from this issue would drastically affect a majority of people: the Afghanistan, the Americans, and even the international organizations who should be involved in the effects of mychoherbicides to mankind. In other words, this central ethical issue has enormous ethical implications. The other identified ethical issues only affect the party concerned (like for example, the first issue: â€Å"Is it right for the Taliban to protect and tax Afghanistan’s opium business, using drug profits to support its activities, including the fight against US and other forc es?† have ethical implications focusing on the interests of the Talibans – with repercussions to the United States. For the second issue: â€Å"Is it right for the Unites States to seek ways to destroy or reduce Afghanistan’s’ opium crop in order to cut off the source of Taliban’s money?† the ethical implications would revolve on benefits to the US and detriments to the Taliban. In contrast, the central issue does not only affect the Talibans, the United States, but other innocent people whose lives might be put in danger with the use of the mycoherbicides. The fact that there is a critical concern as to the stability of the mycoherbicides and the likelihood they may mutate and spread beyond our control attests to the veracity of it being the central ethical issue in the case. A central ethical issue of using mycoherbicides in Afghanistan’s poppy plants needs further research. A report conducted by the Drug Policy Alliance (DPA) entitled â€Å"Repeating Mistakes of the Past:

Debating Globalisation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Debating Globalisation - Essay Example (Globalization, n.d.) Increasing international trade and financial flows are integrating the economies. Some countries integrate with the world economy more aggressively than others. For small economies openness to the world economy allowed flow of goods and services and capital inflow that the domestic economy could not provide. In some cases the geographical area of the country can also help in increasing globalization of the economy. The multinational companies acted as the key initiator of globalization. The process of globalization gained momentum in the second half of the 20th century and significantly developed over the last 20 years (Schlamberger, n.d., Kearney, 2001, pp 56-58: OECD, 2005, p.16). In order to understand the true meaning of globalization one needs to study the changes in a country’s environment due to the phenomenon and measure it properly to justify the changes. Measurement of globalization Globalization cannot be directly measured but its level might b e gauged through different indicators. The method is quantitative and statistical which conducts classification based on globalization of operations. Traditional use of statistics will not be enough in measuring the magnitude and the extent of globalization and needs to be supplemented with other indicators. Many new concepts are developing in the global economy, which needs to be defined properly and added to the existing tools, for constructing a suitable analytical framework. Moreover the existing International Standards need to be adjusted for considering the new developments through globalization. The two group properties that need to measure are the degree of globalization and the result of globalization. (Schlamberger, n.d.; Vujakovic, 2010) Globalization needs to be measured in three broad dimensions, the social, political and economic aspects (Globalization, n.d.). The elements of globalization are increase in the free movement of goods and services across borders, increase in the unrestricted flow of capital and labor across national boundaries and also transfer of technology. Along with this globalization also include flow of different ideas, information and culture from one county to the other. Though globalization is not a new phenomenon and has its roots in the industrial revolution of the east but the present wave has been initiated by a set of new factors like deregulation of financial services in many economies, emergence of modern and smooth transport and communication system and the development of the emerging economies most importantly. The transition in the field of information technology and the third generation revolution of technological changes boost the process of globalization as a whole. The key measures of globalization are firstly the share of the international trade in the total gross domestic product of the country; secondly the inflow and outflow of foreign direct investment in the country, and the inflow and outflow of portfol io investment as measured by the percentage share in GDP. The third indicator is the cultural measure of globalization indicated by the percentage of international tourists in the total population of the country and the measurement of income from tourism as a share of the total income of the country. The record of the international telephone calls of a country along with the percentage of Internet user of the country in the total popu

Auditing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Auditing - Essay Example However, globalisation is also associated with different business and financial risks. Globalisation can have varied effects on different economies in the world. Various forces like investors, borrowers, financial institutions, etc. are having an impounding effect on increased levels of financial globalisation (Schmukler, Zoido & Halac, n.d., p.1). With globalisation and associated risks, accounting and auditing procedures are also encountering significant changes worldwide. In this report the effects of globalisation on auditing mechanisms and various developments of auditing procedures have been studied. Globalisation Globalisation can be defined as the process of increasing association of the markets worldwide and the interdependence between the business processes followed by different organisations all over the world. Recent years have encountered a rapid increase in such phenomenon. Globalisation describes the spread and interconnectivities of new advanced technologies, communic ation systems and production all over the world (Smith & Doyle, 2002). The two important driving factors towards globalisation are: a) Advancements in infrastructure of telecommunications and b) the increasing use and advancement of internet. The economies of the world are getting connected and resulting in increased opportunities for business concerns as well as rising competitions amongst themselves. There is a development of sharing of international cultures as well. The expansion of trade worldwide and globalisation have brought about significant benefits for different economies all over the world. However the recent Global Financial Crisis has somewhat put a hold on the globalisation process (International Monetary Fund, n.d.). Various benefits to citizens of a country as a result of globalisation includes admittance to increased varieties of products and services at lower costs, increased number of job opportunities, higher standard of living, etc (International Monetary Fund, February 2008). Effects of Globalisation on Accounting and Auditing The number of business organisations operating globally is vast and it is increasing at an increasing rate. This puts emphasis on the development of accounting language which is common to all the countries in the world. Globalisation has brought about significant changes in the accounting and auditing procedures all over the world. There had been profound changes in reporting standards of financial statements of organisations as a result of globalisation. This is quite evident from instances like the convergence agreement that has been signed between International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) and Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) in the year 2002 and the adoption of International Accounting Standards (IAS) or International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) by the European Union (EU) in the year 2005 (Ding, Jeanjean & Stolowy, 2008, p.145). Globalisation is having a significant effect on the accoun ting profession itself. With the advancement of information technology and internet web based financial reporting systems are becoming more common and also mandatory for most of the business concerns. The accounting models used by different business organisations have changed. Globalisation has also brought about changes regarding the systems of communicating financial

Final Exam Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Final Exam - Essay Example Most nation states tend to set specific priorities when developing strategies that will be applied nationwide. However, differences seem to exist between independent and non-independent nation states as of the priorities used by each one when developing strategies that will be used in managing national resources and industries. For example, independent nation states tend to emphasize to the development of the country’s industries so that the dependency on foreign suppliers to be decreased’ (Kitching 10). Also, an independent nation state is expected to invest high amounts on the continuous update of its military industries, so that emergent military needs of the state can be covered, if required (Kitching 10). A non-independent nation state is expected to follow a different strategy; the government of such nation state would primarily consider the interests of those who control the nation’s industries, which are usually those who hold the control of the local mar ket (Kitching 10). In certain cases, it is possible for a nation state to be depended not on entrepreneurs or firms but on other states (Kitching 2010). This is the case of a nation state that has a critical value in terms of its national resources or for a nation state that has critical geo-political position, being able to influence the development of the economy of neighboring countries. ... The above view is based on the study of Kitching where the following example is provided: a research has been made as to whether the improvement of the economy of a state is possible simply by emphasizing on agriculture. It has been proved that such target can be achieved, even if agriculture is the only sector available for the support of the economy (Kitching). The above findings have been related to the efforts of a nation state to improve the performance of its economy without having other sectors to employ apart from agriculture. On the other hand, in countries where the independency of a nation state cannot be secured, the use of non-governmental or international organizations seems to be the best solution for addressing emergent nation needs, such as underdevelopment, terrorism and civil wards. The specific view could be based on the example provided through the study of Akinyeye. In the particular study reference is made to the challenges that Nigerian government has to face in regard to underdevelopment. Moreover, the measures taken by the government for controlling the expansion of the above problem have been proved inadequate. A governmental organization, the Regional Economic Commissions (REC), has been established for helping the country to face underdevelopment (Akinyeye 221). The Commission’s branches across the country have been proved particular valuable in confronting underdevelopment (Akinyeye 221). Still, the following problem has appeared: the communication between the Commission’s branches is poor; in this context, a series of processes is duplicated (Akinyeye 221). A non-governmental organization, the Africa Economic Community, with branches across Africa, has been introduced for helping Nigeria and other

Strategic Analysis for Cathay Pacific Airways Dissertation

Strategic Analysis for Cathay Pacific Airways - Dissertation Example Cathay Pacific, during the global financial crisis in late 2008 and 2009, has incurred a record high of $ 7 billion loss (Cathay Pacific 2010). This is the first time that the company has ever experienced such a huge loss. However, by 2010, the company has reached an all time high of $14 billion profit (Cathay Pacific 2010). Although this turnaround is attributed to the continued growth and strong performance of the China’s economy, what Cathay Pacific shows is astonishing since the airline business, fundamentally, involves heavy investments, but relatively slow return on investments. Yet, Cathay Pacific has gained monumental profit during difficult economic times. In this sense, by looking into Cathay Pacific’s approach and strategy as the company surmounts the hurdle of the global financial crisis with excellent profit, one can learn from their experience as it provides a paradigm that can be used by most companies who are still reeling from the impact of the recent g lobal financial crisis. In this regard, Cathay Pacific strategic management offers alternative frames that can be useful for companies as they address the challenges and impact of the first global economic crisis of the 21st century. 1.1. Background of the Study The airline industry is one of the most dynamic and robust business sectors in the world (Meersman, Van de Voorde & Vanelslander 2008). Its business cycle is consists of ups and downs that continues to modify and restructure the demands and framework of the airline industry market (Uncles & Goh 2002). In this regard, it is significant to understand the important factors contributing to the robust nature of the airline industry. In addition, by looking into the elements modifying the structure of the industry, the approaches develop by the companies not only becomes contextualise, but it also affords the chance to apprehend what is the basic condition of the airline industry. One of the most important factors affecting not only the airline industry but all businesses and countries around the world is globalisation. Globalisation is the removal of trade barriers existing among nations. With this economic policy adopted by most countries around the world th e movement of goods, capital, services, products, culture and people has become freer flowing, thus allowing for exchanges to happen (Coatsworth 2004; Fougner 2006; Munck 2008). In effect, eco0nomic policies of governments have shifted from

Estonia Gender Problems Essay Example for Free

Estonia Gender Problems Essay Throughout history, women have constantly struggled for equal rights. However, even after women have gained increased equality in many countries, gender inequality still exists on an international scale. The European country Estonia, in particular, faces a noticeably greater gap between men’s and women’s rights in comparison with its European neighbors. Despite the Estonian Gender Equality Law passed in 2004, sexism and gender stereotypes are still largely prevalent in Estonia’s government and society. The problem of gender inequality has negatively impacted Estonian women in economic, social, and political aspects of life in Estonia. One major result of gender inequality is the limiting of economic opportunities for women. Because of traditional gender stereotypes, Estonian women are believed to be less valuable in the workplace than men. This form of sexism has heavily impacted the ability of women to obtain and maintain employment and salary: â€Å"in the 1990s women’s unemployment exceeded that of men (38.3% of women and 24.7% of men)† (Erickson 278). In addition to the high unemployment rate for women, Estonia’s pay gap (the difference between men and women’s wages for the same job) is currently the highest in Europe: â€Å"women are paid over 30% less than men for the same profession† (Domsch 73). Since Estonian women are economically disadvantaged by unfair employment and salary, many women are forced to become economically dependent on their husbands or fathers. Overall, Estonia’s large pay gap reflects its economic sexism and the detrimental effects of gender ineq uality on women. Gender inequality in Estonia has also led to social prejudice against women. Since Estonia’s incorporation into the Soviet Union, gender roles have been deeply established into Estonian society. These gender roles dictate what women are allowed to do and what small spheres of influence they have on economics, government, and politics. Gender roles have also inevitably led to sexism: â€Å"The relationship between men and women on a societal level represents relationship with unequal power distribution, where men dominate and women are subordinated or under-represented in most spheres of life.† (Morten para. 6). The social dominance of men stems from Estonia’s incorporation into the Soviet Union in 1940. During this period, Estonia’s once Western attitudes and views on gender equality shifted to Soviet-centered beliefs, which emphasized the importance of submissive women who served men. Although the Soviet Union often used feminist propaganda to encourage women to work, women were frequently treated unfairly at home and in society. The gender roles established during the Soviet Union era continue to play a major role in Estonia’s society today. Gender inequality is prevalent in both the household, where men are expected to exert dominance over their wives, and in social gatherings, where women’s opinions are held in lower esteem (Domsch 148). In summary, gender inequality in Estonia has led to social discrimination against women. Another major result of gender inequality is the political prejudice that Estonian women face. After World War II, a period in which Estonia was politically and economically run by women due to a lack of men, the Communist Party reestablished men in the ruling bodies of Estonia. During this period, Estonian women were removed from politics and their political power was undermined. Very recently, some attempts have been made to solve the political gender inequality problem. In 2004, the government passed the Gender Equality Act to ensure that women had equal political power and economic stability (Domsch 127). However, many of the rights guaranteed in the Gender Equality Act were pre-existent in the Constitution of Estonia. In practice, women have yet to see true equality in political or economic aspects. For example, a recent study showed that â€Å"roughly 8% of Estonian government positions are held by women, while only 20% of parliament members are women† (Morten para. 4). The small percentage of women in Estonia’s government directly reflects on the sexism in Estonian politics. Estonia’s male and female populations, though equal in size, are not equally politically represented, as shown by the clearly imbalanced gender ratio in their government. Overall, although small steps have been made toward gender equity, sexism and gender inequality are still widely extant, and have led to comparatively less political empowerment for Estonian women. Although women’s rights have been improved internationally, many countries still face challenges in establishing true gender equality. Estonia currently faces significant problems for women in many major aspects of society. Originating from Estonia’s incorporation into the Soviet Union after World War II, gender stereotypes have negatively affected Estonian women to this day. With one of the largest pay gaps between men and women in Europe, Estonia has a significantly imbalanced gender ratio for employment. Furthermore, sexism has also led to the diminished social and political power of women in Estonian society. Despite the recent improvements that have been made by the Estonian government in the past decade, the economic, social, and political opportunities of Estonian women are still severely limited by gender inequality.

Broadcasting of the BBC Documentary The Secret Policeman Essay Example for Free

Broadcasting of the BBC Documentary The Secret Policeman Essay On Tuesday 21st October 2003, the BBCs documentary The Secret Policeman was broadcast to approximately 5 million viewers in Britain. Mark Daly, an undercover reporter had spent seven months posing as a fellow trainee at the Bruche National Training Centre in Cheshire to film an exposà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ on racism among police recruits. The film not only provided evidence of police racism but also highlighted the stereotypical representations of Black identity within Western ideology. In this essay I propose to investigate how the British medias representation of Blacks has, rather than reflecting reality, constructed it. My research predominantly focuses on evidence gathered from racial reports and theories of the 1980s until the present day and examines the development, if any, within race representation in the media. Pre-1980s case studies are generally omitted because of the rapid development of discussion of racial issues as a reaction to the brutal riots of that decade. Additionally, the institutional and individual stereotyping revealed within The Secret Policeman can be directly related to prevalent issues specifically within the media of the previous two decades. Controversially, I ultimately aim to depict The Secret Policeman as a symbol of advancement in Black representation within Britain. The use of the term Black bastard and Nigger isnt racist The Secret Policemans inclusion of a clip of racist remarks by the Police Federations Representative in 1983 is an accurate reflection of the racial turmoil that Britains Institutions and communities were in. Black lawlessness was an image that dominated the Press reporting on riots from 1980 85. A predominantly Black riot against at Bristols police force in 1980 was followed by further confrontational outbreaks in 1981. The first two years of riots gained Britains (particularly young) West Indian community the reputation for being notorious for muggings, assaults and murders2 but nonetheless presented a slight initial interest into the awareness of the underlying causes. The scale of Britains urban unrest between these years varied considerably but the sequence of violence after 1980 forced the political agenda to include an examination of the origins of the protests. The Press employed Brixton (1981) to highlight the need for enhanced Government economic policies; As we condemn th e senseless terror we also condemn the deep seated social problemswhich spawned them. From 1983 to 1985 Britains poor and predominantly West Indian and Asian neighbourhoods experienced social disturbances, as was the case in 1981. Once more, the media endorsed the riots as the criminal acts of black, inner-city youths but this time they were not linked to ethnic inequality, oppression or socio-economic frustration but only to the Blacks position in society and their undermining of the law and cultural traditions of the minority communities themselves. The British presss reaction to the prominence of riots particularly during 1985 was to decline both generally to examine the reasons for them and specifically to consider ethnical inequality as a cause. Subjects of immigration, housing, employment, social facilities and race relations within the civic authorities that were central to the causes of the urban violence, were abandoned for crude simplifications that represented Blacks as the sole initiators of the violence. The criminal identity with which the media had labe lled Blacks was not wholly fictitious. Anecdotal evidence of provocative quotes and repetition of unreliable stories would always operate within a dominant regime of truth4. Crimes involving Blacks were given disproportionate coverage that suggested a behavioural generalisation that would never be suggested of Whites. Stereotyping was not the only form of racism; more covertly the press would exclude or misconstrue statistics such as those that showed Blacks to be twice as likely to be out of work as their counterparts. The coverage of Tottenhams 1985 riot gave less publicity to the death of a lack woman than the ensuing disturbances in which a police constable was murdered. The policemans role as a victim totally overshadowed the mourning of the aggressor that the Black fatality was consigned to. The perspective within which coloured people are presented as ordinary members of society has become increasingly overshadowed by a news perspective in which they are presented as a problem. Teun. A. Van Dijk was highly influenced by Hartmann and Husbands early study of racism in the press which concluded the above labelling of Blacks. According to Van Dijk the riots were topicalized in a style recognisable across the entire media front; the event, the causes and the consequences. Contrary to using these journalistic traits to investigate all areas of the riots, Britains media manipulated it as a means of reporting on selective data. The event was described as the attacks of mobs of black youths; in order to maintain the stimulus once the disturbance was over the primary definition of the cause of the riots was in terms of Black criminality in preference to the inner city conditions. Finally, the exoneration of Institutional Britain was enabled through the reports focus into future containment, policing and inquiries. The report pattern of Black mob, Black crime and Black prevention was typical of a whole generations instinctive approach to Black Britain. The medias resp onse to the 1980s riots created and regurgitated images of Black male criminals. Blacks in non-race stories were not considered newsworthy. Encouragingly by the 1980s Black was on the political agenda; however by 1985 it had been relegated from the social issue some commentators had perceived, via a social problem to a social evil. If the medias hegemonic reports and editorials in the 1980s were classed as a barely disguised belief in White supremacy, The Secret Policeman strangely that that attitude to Blacks is as strong today as ever it was then. Im a firm believer that Pakis create racism. Most Asians carry knives. The thing in London is, the majority of street robbery is Black In 1982 the Commission for Racial Equality published the first code of practice on eliminating discrimination and promoting equal opportunities, which was speedily identified by a Daily Telegraph editorial as bossy nonsense. Arguably the code of practice was counter-productive. Attacks on anti-racist and equal rights movements were at their height during the period of 1983 to 1986, when Black became Britains pretext for social disturbances. Resistance towards such movements was accused of stirring racial tension through excessive political correctness. For much of the press, racism was a manufactured problem of the anti-racist left, found in social science research programmes, anti-racist projects and multi-cultural education. The anti-racist social learning process created accusations of anti-English indoctrination thus posing a threat to White elitism, dominance and control. Thatchers Institutionally right-wing Britain defined itself as a protagonist of the attacks from the left th at they believed favoured special treatment of multicultural Britain. Significantly, the immediate Government response to The Secret Policeman undercover investigation was given by the home secretary David Blunkett, who criticised the BBC for their intent to create, not report, a storyas a covert stunt to get attention According to the Guardians most recent statistics, ethnic minorities make up 9% of the UKs population. In more urban areas such as Greater Manchester where The Secret Policeman was filmed, this percentage is believed to reach figures as high as 30%. However, the documentary showed Warrington police training base to consist of 118 white and one Asian recruit. Notably, Black people in are massively under-represented in Parliament. New Western societies still show many forms of institutional and everyday discrimination that David Blunkett arguably hoped to dismiss with a similar response to the 1980s critical analysis of racist exposs. Over a month before The Secret Policeman was broadcast, John Gieve, the permanent Secretary at the Home Office wrote to the BBC a letter that they described as unprecedented pressure to bully them into withdrawing the programme. The chief constable of Greater Manchester Police also intimidated the BBC with the threat of a Hutton-style inquiry that could d estroy the BBCs relationship with the police. Mark Dalys work within the police force was cut short when arrested on suspicion of deception and damaging police property; charges were dropped when embarrassingly for the police, the public were informed of the institutional racism. The Observer newspaper considered the Whitehall and police resistance worthy of its front-page headline Home Office tried to axe BBC police race expos. Headlines are carefully devised as a pithy synopsis of the story. They quickly impart knowledge in a way which facilitates both understanding and recall. The headlines of news reports about ethnic affairs summarize events that the medias white academics, teachers, writers and political activists define as relevant to white and black readers interests. The medias manipulation of headlines dramatized the 1980s anti-racism only to emphasise the Western ideology of Black negativity. For example the Telegraphs conspicuous headline bossy nonsense clearly established the tedium felt by the author towards the issue of tackling racism. The Observers recent negative portrayal of institutional antagonists of anti-racism reveals a positive shift from the medias earlier resentment towards the anti-racist movements. So what is the ideological impli cation of the shift from 1980s resentment to the Observers stance? How is the exposure of racism in todays society a sign of improved race-relations? Who is to blame for todays existing racism? Is it the BBCs fault this has happened? BBC Radio One questioned both the responsibility of the police and the media in the revelation of The Secret Policeman. Radio One criticised the constable of North Wales for his reference to the hysteria related to terrorism, extremist Muslims and asylum as the rationale for increased racist views. Blaming society, it commented, was no option for police professionals who should concentrate on training and challenge prejudice15. Is the BBCs accusation equitable or is pardoning society a means of pardoning the media to ultimately pardon itself? How we are seen determines in part how we are treated; how we treat others is based on how we see them; such seeing comes from representation.16 Traditionally founded on Reithian ideas of independence, access and expression, the BBC aimed to inform, educate and entertain the masses. The BBC devised itself an identity as the national cultural institution that would represent Britains public through Britains voice. In a statement following the arrest of Mark Daly, the BBC reflected the all-purpose mission they were founded upon: We believe this to be a matter of significant public interest17. The BBC, in essence, the media, is a powerful realm of social whiteness that manipulates the patterns of inter-elite communication. The ethnic minorities in Britain even today remain concentrated in relatively few areas. As a result huge numbers of the White majority rely almost exclusively on the media for knowledge of issues concerning their Black counterparts. The formations and continuance of White attitudes are therefore highly reliant upon the medias portrayal of race-relations; most frequently found in the news. The news is an every day routine structure, and in literal terms can be defined as a classical realist text. However, Nichols recognises that the reality of news takes precedence over the news of reality18, thus enabling it to empower, or dis-empower its subject. In these terms the subject is Black and the empowerment is integral to the serious issue of Black nationhood and identity. When reality is represented, its former unequivocal status becomes ambiguous; news is static but its context is not. For example, patterns of race reporting can attach themselves to the wider subjects of Black British existence, a procedure that Sarita Malik terms leitmotif. During the 1980s riots, the Black identity was frequently referred to in terms of former race-related violence. Leitmotifs thus manipulated the reality to familiarise the White-eye with often-unrelated parables of Black anger that consequently created a distorted mis-information about the original conflict. In contrast, representing reality can be equal ly deceitful through a negation of context. The news according to Malik is best at representing what and why but regularly fails to recognise the socio-political reasoning behind it. In terms of race relations of the last two decades Britains media tends to focus excessively on the wider context of Black struggle yet too seldom on the social context that fuels this struggle. The BBCs decision to resist Governmental and Federal pressures and broadcast The Secret Policeman implied a positive shift in its allegiance to the White ruling classes. Although this documentary was yet another portrayal of the problem-orientated Black, uniquely the revolting19 and Appalling, racist revelations20 were more optimistically acknowledged as White. The television documentary is based on questions of identity that engage with the construction of relationships between subject, audience and the camera or narrator. The cinematography is used as a tool of authority in which the spectator is lured into believing they are a observing a record of untouched and immediate reality. But reality, as clarified previously, can be more ambiguous than anticipated. In fact, the illusion that a documentary allows the subject to speak for itself without moralising or judging is, like the news, a powerful status to possess. Documentaries are the most likely genre to directly address socio-political affairs and on the rare occasion of the medias attention to multicultural development it is most probable they will be used. Unfortunately, documentaries of the 1950s were emotive, sentimental and practically vague and similarly. The 1960s gave little hope for a genre increasingly lacking in sensitivity and awareness towards the Black subject. In contrast to the pathos of the 1950s White pity toward Blacks, the 1960s employed tones of hostility, fear and conflict. Thus, the erratic history of the socialist documentary was influential and manipulative towards the enhancement of Governmental attacks that ran adjacent to the anti-racist campaigns of the 1980s. The development of light and cheap video recording equipment has made the video diary an accessible and extremely popular style of documentary since the late 1990s; a development that enabled the BBC to produce The Secret Policeman. Improved camera technology initiated independent film-making and in effect greater social analysis during the 1990s, but this was not the only continuity in televisions social eye. Governmental, cultural and economic forces were evolving towards todays individualistic, consumerist and multicultural society; television had to ke ep pace. The documentary shifted from social generalisations to pluralism and for the first time society was eclipsed by individualism and lifestyle. Although the 1990s showed much resistance to an increasingly cross-cultural and mixed-race Britain, the definition of society and Britishness undoubtedly required re-examination. Isnt it good how memories dont fade? He [Steven Lawrence] fucking deserved it and his mum and dad are a fucking pair of spongers. PC Rob Pullings acclamation of the murderers and derision of the family of black student Steven Lawrence shocked viewers of The Secret Policeman. Lawrences mother was particularly disheartened, stating, that, after all this time, people still held those views.22 The stereotyping of Black people as spongers or scroungers is one that was upheld and confirmed during the rioting period of the 1980s. The Diasporas posed a threat to Britain as a consequence of its deficiency in resources and increasing immigration numbers. In 1968 Enoch Powell suggested a much favoured but conclusively rejected topic relatable to Thatchers new 1980s, right wing government; that of repatriation. Repatriation essentially warned Blacks to behave or go home. Powell returned to his theme in the wake of the 1985 Handsworth riots to create a climate of racist opinion. Immigration had become among the most prominent Press subjects, during which, one tabloid claimed that immigrants cost the taxpayer billions of pou nds. Black people were constituted as the welfare states problem that added to taxation through an exploitation of the White supremacist welfare state. In 1984, the News of the World printed the headline à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½476 a week for waiter Abdul. The Daily Mail picked up on this story, printing a day later; Jobless Abdullife of luxury in hotelsat the taxpayers expense.24 The actuality of this story is that the 476 payment that was referred to was an inclusive sum covering the cost of housing Abdul, his wife and his six children. More interestingly, Abdul Bari was a British citizen. In 1999, six years after the Lawrence incident, Sir William Macpherson undertook a high profile investigation into the racism and discrimination in the Metropolitan Police Force.His Report coined the phrase institutional racism. This triggered discussions of discrimination within Britains leading institutions: the police, the media, the education system and the government. Following the Lawrence enquiry huge numbers of police were forced to undertake intensive training in racial equality and similar, revised programmes are ongoing today. One police force in Britain sent 40 000 employees on race training days within the last year, but Pullings overt racism raises questions of the efficacy of the Home Offices current strategy of challenging prejudice. In the concluding chapter of her book Representing Black in Britain, Sarita Malik makes a discouragingly negative, albeit honest assertion that the accepted sentiment that racist Britain is in decline is somewhat false. By this, she suggests that racism in the media, as in other public sectors, has merely been concealed. Malik proposed that truthful representations could emerge only through more diverse, aesthetically innovative and accurate portrayals of Blacks. More relevantly to The Secret Policeman, Malik highlighted the need for a rethink of the constituent parts that compose Britains media: resources, employment and ultimately its national heritage. Whilst the number of Blacks and ethnic minorities on British television has increased dramatically particularly in urban based soaps such as Holby City and Eastenders the production teams and editors continue to favour Whites. My premise that The Secret Policemen established an interesting relationship with the development of Brit ish media was formed whilst listening to a Radio Four news programme. It suggested that The Secret Policeman provided hard evidence that racism had gone underground. The programme concluded that although the police understood the shoulds and shouldnts of racial procedures, impartiality was never entrenched in their hearts and minds. Consistently with my research, the social learning process of the media has potentially played a huge role in PC Pullings racist prejudices and discrimination. Racism is not innate after all; it is learned. So how is it that I feel confident to propose The Secret Policeman as evidence of enhanced race-relations within the media? The role of the media is not isolated, but connected in numerous ways to the elites in general; this time it stood alone. The BBC assumed the role of the anti-racist and confronted the majority. The Secret Policeman exposed to huge public numbers, the long-standing stereotypes of the ruling-race and gave scope for investigating the origins of such beliefs. More positively the documentary received instant and drastic responses from both the public and the institutions. The Home Office immediately introduced plans for new police integrity tests and understood the need for societal change. The medias willingness to scrutinise and criticise the racism revealed in The Secret Policeman marked a complete reversal from the attacks on anti-racism evident in the 1980s. The Secret Policeman has served a distinctive purpose. It has illustrated what has long been apparent but too rarely admitted; White power is dangerously flawed. BIBLIOGRAPHY Ferguson, Robert. Representing Race, 1998. Arnold: London Gordon, Paul Rosenberg, David. The Press and black people in Britain, 1989. Runnymede Trust: Nottingham Malik, Sarita. Representing Black in Britain, 2002. Sage: London Solomos, John. Race and Racism in Contemporary Britain, 1989. Macmillan: London Troyna, Barry. Public awareness and the media, 1981. Commission for Racial Equality: London Van Dijk, Tuen A. Racism and the Press, 1991. Routledge: London and New York

Introduction To The Criminal Justice System

Introduction To The Criminal Justice System What do we mean by the Criminal Justice System (CJS)? This essay aims to answer the question What do we mean by the Criminal Justice System? In order to do this, we will start by looking at an introduction to the criminal justice system and briefing talking through the different agencies it is comprised of. We will then go on to look at the three main government departments and map out their responsibilities. This essay then intends to question whether or not the CJS is actually a system and to discuss conflict that may arise between the different agencies. In order to understand the system, it must be broken down into three stages. These stages include the police, the courts and the prisons. These can be evaluated to determine whether or not the CJS is effective. The Criminal Justice System is one of the main public services in the UK. It is made up of specific agencies that respond to the commission of offences. These work together and share similar aims and objectives. These agencies include the Police Service, the Crown Prosecution Service, Her Majestys Court Service, The National Offender Management Service and the Youth Justice Board (cjsonline.gov.uk march 2010). All of these agencies are directed by three main government departments. These are the Home Office, the Ministry of Justice and the Office of Attorney General. These departments work together and each of these is responsible for different services within the system. The Home Office was set up in the 18th century and although many changes have been made since this time, its key objective is to protect the public therefore it is responsible for areas such as policing and security. This makes it responsible for all 43 police forces within England and Wales. It is run by the Home Secretary who sets agendas and has management boards in order to make sure its aims and objectives are carried out and their services are being delivered to the public. The Ministry of Justice was established in 2007 and took over some of the responsibilities of the Home Office. It is in charge of the justice system with areas such as criminal law and sentencing. One of its departmental strategic objectives is to ensure a more effective, transparent and responsive criminal justice system for victims and the public (http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/docs/justice-annual-report-08-09ii.pdf p48). It is now headed by the Lord Chancellor which can also be known as the Secret ary of State for Justice and like the Home Office, it also has a management board. The Ministry of Justice now also carries out the duties for the Department for Constitutional Affairs which manages the Legal Services Commission and certain courts. The Office of the Attorney General was established to provide advice to law officials. One of its main responsibilities is to guard the rule of the law and of public interest (http://www.attorneygeneral.gov.uk/AboutUs/Pages/default.aspx). It is accountable for the law offenders department which is made up of agencies like the Crown Prosecution Service and the National Fraud Authority. In order to certify that these three departments work together, Local Criminal Justice Boards were set up. There are 42 of these boards and ensure that all of the aims of the three boards are carried out in their local area. Ashworth (2010) claims that the CJS is not a system. It quotes that To refer to it as a system is merely a convenience and an aspiration (p71) although Newburn (2007) believes that there is evidence to show that they work in partnership and share similar goals (p549). Despite these similar goals overall, each stage of the CJS sometimes has different objectives which may result in conflict between the different agencies. For example, the courts may sentence a person to prison to be punished, while probation officers would attempt to rehabilitate them. With these differing objectives, the Office for Criminal Justice Reform (OCJR) was set up to ensure these agencies collaborated effectively and delivered the aims of the CJS. These aims are to prevent and detect more crime, to give victims and witnesses more support and to punish and rehabilitate more offenders http://www.cjsonline.gov.uk/the_cjs/how_it_works/. These aims must be carried out in order for the criminal justice system to be effective. Each of these aims can be applied to the different stages within the CJS. These stages consist of the police, the courts and also the prisons. Each has a different role within the system with different objectives. The police are there to prevent and detect more crime; this can be done through arrests while the courts are there to sentence offenders and the prisons to punish. The police are the primary stage in the prevention of crime (Joyce p84). In most cases the agencies never respond at all as the CJS starts with the arrest of a suspect or with the reporting of a crime. The police have the authority to refer a person to the next stage of the CJS. This is done as they have to enforce the law with the intention to keep the peace. The courts have the power to sentence an offender and a custodial sentence is the toughest punishment the courts can impose while the prisons function is to punish an offender. From this it would appear that the CJS is based upon punishment, however this is not the case. Only specific agencies focus solely on the penal system. Once an offender is sentenced by the court, the offender enters the penal system (Cavadino p1). The penal system is a system that exists to punish and otherwise deal with those who have been convicted of criminal offences (Cavadino p408). The CJS in the UK is not only about punishment but also about the rehabilitation of offenders. Therefore, it protects the public in both the long and short term http://www.cjsonline.gov.uk/downloads/application/pdf/CJS_Review.pdf. Rehabilitation believes that punishment can reduce the incidence of crime by taking a form which will improve the individual offenders character or behaviour and make him or her less likely to reoffend in future (Cavadino p41) The three stages mentioned earlier collaborate well as all three have the objective to protect the public. In order to find out whether or not each of these stages are effective, they can be measured by a number of different means. BCS Police statistics Clear up rates Sentencing has increased in recent years. This can be proved by the increase in prisoners. Since 1980 the prison population increased from 42,000 to 85,000 in 2009 (REF). Despite this increase, it cannot be proved that there is an increase in crime as it may be due to stricter and harsher sentences being imposed by the courts. Regardless of this, respondents to the BCS were asked whether they thought sentences were too tough, about right or too lenient, with over three quarters (76%) feeling that sentences were too lenient (Home Office Policing and criminal justice p12). Due to this increase in the prison population, it has been claimed that the conditions prisoners live in has made it difficult to rehabilitate offenders (Joyce p365) and that it is possible that the prisons may be violating Article three of the Convention (Ashworth p316). One of the problems that an increase in prison population has caused is overcrowding. This can lead to inmates being contained to their cells for l ong periods of time (Ashworth p316) and the denial to rehabilitative programmes (Joyce p377). These overcrowded prisons can lead to aggression and can damage a persons health and wellbeing. Other issues that are concerned with prison conditions include an increase in drug use, security problems and also the financing of the prisons. These conditions may also affect reoffending rates due to not being able to rehabilitate a person. Victimisation surveys is a survey which interviews a sample of the public and provide a relatively accurate measure of crime rates (Newburn p62) as they include crimes that have not been reported to or recorded by the police. Despite this, they still cannot be 100% accurate and reliable due to the fact that they exclude victimless crimes such as Punishment completions Self report surveys Issues influencing the CJSs ability to be effective Confidence levels/ satisfaction Reliability of stats The media can influence a persons perception of the CJS. GOOD The media presents information to the public of crimes. This can be done through new reporting and also television programmes such as Crimewatch which give the public accounts of events through real life footage and reconstructions (Newburn p104). BAD

Computers :: essays research papers

This paper is about the computer. Today computers are used by hundreds of millions of people. There have been many advances in the computer. The computer used to weigh 30 tons and filled warehouse size rooms, but today can be as light as 3 pounds and fit in a persons pocket.There were basically three times the computer was mentioned. One as a mechanical computing device, in about 500 BC The other as a concept in 1833, and the third as the modern day computer in 1946. The first mechanical calculator was called the abacus. The abacus is a is a string of moving beads.The first concept of the modern computer was first outlined in 1833 by the British mathematician Charles Babbage. His outline contained all of todays features in a computer today. Those features are memory, a control unit, and output devices. Even though Babbage worked on the machine for over 40 years he never actual saw it work. The modern computer grew out of intense research efforts mounted during World War II. The military needed faster ballistics calculators, and British cryptographers needed machines to help break the German secret codes.Early as the 1940's the German Inventor, Konrad Zuse, produced the first operational computer. It was used in aircraft and missile designs, but the German government would not let him improve the machine so it never reached its maximum capability. Two engineers called John W. Mauchly and J. Presper Eckert Jr. from the University of Pennsylvania constructed a calculator. Its construction was an enormous feat of engineering. The 30-ton machine was 18 feet high and 80 feet long, and contained 17,468 vacuum tubes linked by 500 miles of wiring. This calculator performed 100,000 operations per second, and its first operational test included calculations that helped determine the feasibility of the hydrogen bomb. Computers were finally made to a smaller size in 1958 by Jack Kilby. He used less expensive silicon chips, this made it possible to cram as many as 10 million components on 1 chip. Another big step in the computer chip was made by American Engineer Marcian E. Hoff. He combined the uses of a computer into 1 tiny silicon chip which he called the microprocessor. This microprocessor was called the Intel 4004. By the mid 1970's the microprocessor or microchip reduced the cost of computers. The first affordable desktop computer designed specifically for personal use was called the Altair 8800 and was sold by Micro Instrumentation Telemetry Systems in 1974.

Baroque music Essay examples -- essays research papers fc

The Music of the Baroque Era The style of polyphonic music containing elaborate ornamentation and contrasting elements, that is how Baroque music is defined. The Baroque era was a kind of transitional era in art and music. The Renaissance means rebirth and is typically regarded as such. The Baroque era in music is not a set style in music but many diverse styles which may be broken down into at least three distinct periods. A renewed interest in art and music was experienced throughout the Renaissance which then led to the Baroque era which was more of a transitional stage leading up to the maturity of classical music in the Classical era which began as Baroque ended. (Howard n. pag.) The origins of the word Baroque itself is as obscure as the melodies contained in its music. Many people believe that the word baroque came from two different places. Some believe that it came from the word barocco, which is Italian and means bizarre or strange. Others believe that it is Portuguese and it came from the word barroco meaning distorted or irregularly shaped pearl. The barroco was considered more beautiful because of its uniqueness. Either way the name stuck. The era began in 1600 and ended with Johann Sebastian Bach’s (1685-1750) death in 1750. Bach is likely the best known and most widely appreciated composer of the era, although Antonio Vivaldi and George Fridiric Handel were certainly very important composers of the time as well. The music of the Baroque itself is very colorfu...

Cricket In Australia In The 1920s :: essays research papers fc

Cricket is a game now played all over the world. Back in the 1920s there were two main teams, Australia and England. The Ashes are a series of cricket test matches between Australia and England. The first Ashes test ever played was on March 15th 1877 in Australia. Since then Ashes tests between Australia and England have flourished numbering a series approximately every three years. The overall Ashes results are in favor of Australia, while since 1989 the Ashes series have all been won by Australia. The 1920’s Ashes saw a more even event with England winning two series, Australia three. Although Australia won 13 tests to England’s six with six draws all in England. The first Ashes series in Australia was in 1920-21. This series was dominated by Australia winning all five tests. This was the first English team to tour Australia since the war, but it was delayed by an outbreak of typhus on the passenger ship carrying the English team. Australia placed seven test debutants under the captaincy of Warwick Armstrong, and yet they seemed too experienced and too good for England. The team was; W. Armstrong, W. Bardsley, H. Collins, J Gregory, C. Kelleway, A. Mailey, G. McDonald, W. Oldfield, C. Pellew, J. Ryder and J. Taylor. The first test in Sydney never from the outlook looked like a two teamed race, rather a spectacle to see how much Australia could win by. Armstrong won his first of many tosses and decided to bat first, Australia making 267 on a pitch favoring the bowlers. England, on the second day crumbled being spun out for a feeble 190 and in reply Australia made 581, with centuries to Collins the opener and Armstrong the captain. This meant E ngland needed 658 on the last two days. Australia’s superior bowling attack dismissed England for 281, 377 short. The second test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground was no closer. Australia batted first and made 499 with centuries to Pellew and Gregory. Australia then bowled England out for 251 with inspirational Gregory taking 7/69. Enforcing the follow on, Australia’s bowlers took advantage of the mental state of England and bundled them out for 157 winning by an innings and 91 runs. The third test in Adelaide beginning on January 14 was by far the closest test. Australia winning the toss decided to bat for the third time in a row. On a ‘road like’ pitch Australia hit a comparatively feeble 354.

Accounting as a Language Essay

Accounting is often referred to as the language of business. It is a special-purpose tool for communication about the financial statements and the performance of a company. This can happen through written, natural language by selecting words from a standard vocabulary combining them in meaningful ways. These words are then organised into financial reports according to relatively flexible rules of presentation. Accounting dates back to 1494 when Luca Pacioli published a book called Summa de Arithmetic. It Around the 15th century, accounting records were found amongst ruins of ancient Babylon, Assyria and Sumeria. It is suggested that people relied on accounting methods to record the growth of crops and herds. During the Roman Empire, accounting was quantified and listed as a public expenditure which included grants of land and religious offerings. Money to army veterans was also given. Current Issues affecting Accounting as a language The decline of the U. S dollar is a perfect example of an issue that affects accounting as a language. The objective of accounting theory is to provide a basis for the prediction and to explain accounting behaviour and its events. This theory assumes that a stable monetary unit is present. See more: Social process essay Further decline in the purchasing power of the dollar has affected all realities and its associated languages. Events like this play a vital role as to whether a new language of bookkeeping needs to be implemented. Accounting language must develop theories which are rational. There may be instances where a procedure does not appear to be reasonable. An example of this can be seen with the determination of joint product and by-product costs. The reason why this raises doubts is because it is difficult to allocate costs in a way that accurate costs can be obtained. In addition to accounting language theories being rational is its usefulness. Theories and conclusions are constantly being tested to measure the usefulness of the research provided. According to Harold G Avery, many systems have been neglected as it was not useful in expressing the relevant information to management. It is safe to say that no language will receive acceptance if it cannot be used to an advantage, as this information is relied upon to make sound business judgements and needs to be readily available. So how is this information translated to the users? Ac as a language- Financial data is used to communicate the financial positions of a entity and then translates this to its various users. It is pertinent that in order to evaluate the financial results of the entity, it is necessary that the financial statements of that particular company with either its financial results of the industry or the past results. Ratio analysis is used to determine the status of the company’s ability to pay its short and long term debts. It can also analyze to determine the company liquidity and debts levels, these indicators are critical in determining the business ability to continue operations into the future. IAS 1 prescribes the basis for presentation of general purpose financial statements intended to meet the needs of users who are not in a position to require an entity to prepare reports tailored to their particular information needs. IAS 1 does not specifically apply to the form, structure, and content of an interim financial report but many of the overall considerations as the need for fair presentation and consistency. Globally accounting is recognized as the tool for communicating the financial statements and performance. Without a clear structure for accounting language, businesses and users alike would suffer economically as the financial statements would not be fair and true, which would be costly to us all. Accounting data is used to produce financial statements which depict a picture of entities profitability. This information enables accounting to translate this ‘foreign language’ into one that is understood by its users. This purpose of this translation is to aide sound business decisions. Users who benefit from this can be shareholders, management, government, financial institutions and prospective investors.

Dollard & Pavlov Case Study Personality Psy

Jon Britton Personality Psychology Dr Humbert causal ripenncy Study 10 3-18-2013 Dollard & Pavlov The first and foremost primary bugger off shown by motherfucker is in the form of wanting to uph middle-aged a constant life. He has worked himself into a suitable position in the eating place business and he is driven to keep up by not wanting to fail. His biggest fear is to fail and be a loser so this is his main primary drive and it is working well for him.The way that he reduces this primary drive is he begins to instruct classes in college in order to come on further in the restaurant industry. These classes provide enable him to get a spirit level and then he will be able to make more capital and gain a more stable position. His primary indirect drive is more or less parallel to his primary in the comprehend that his fear of not succeeding is brainish him to do something outside of his normal operate procedure, that is taking classes in college at an age where he feels that he is too old to do so.Once he starts to partake in the classes he finds that he is doing better than he could have imagined which further compliments the secondary drives at work. There were definitely cues which helped cuckoo step outside of his normal boundaries, it came in the form of hearing some of the younger people where he works clack about being in groom and getting their degrees.This helped to motivate Jack in making his decision to take the classes, in all likelihood because it made him feel younger, and gave him a greater sense of accomplishment when he at long last did make the decision to take the classes. The quaternion main processes underlying the classical instruct model according to Pavlov are flat stimulus, un learn response, conditioned stimulus and conditioned response. These four components, can work in unison to produce the precise conditions requirement for a classical conditioning test / environment to take place.